This invention relates to a rolled material guide and cutter that is attachable to pre-existing rolled material holders.
Conventional rolled material holders generally consist of two spaced brackets and a roller bar to hold the rolled material, the roller bar being supported between the two brackets. The conventional paper roll holder, such as a toilet paper roll holder used in the home, is generally of this type. The paper roll placed upon the roller bar in this type of holder can be easily rotated allowing the paper roll to unwind resulting in the free end hanging at some length from the paper roll. This hanging end is not only unattractive in an otherwise neat room but can be an attraction to small children or pets who delight in unrolling the remaining paper causing it to be wasted. The freely rotating paper roll is also a nuisance in that two hands must be employed to dispense and tear the desired length of the paper. One hand is needed to grasp and unroll the paper while the other hand is needed to hold the roll steady when the paper is torn. This is a problem when the holder is placed in an inconvenient location and can be a particular problem to the handicapped. Another problem associated with rolled material, particularly that which is manufactured to be soft and pliable as possible, is that the material clings to the roll. This makes the free end difficult to locate.
The prior art shows rolled material holders with both tearing edges and guiding means. However, these dispensers are designed to replace the entire holder. They are bulky, generally unattractive and relatively expensive to purchase and install. None of the prior art shows a simple inexpensive device that is readily and easily attached to the pre-existing roll holder.